Orthodontic appliance



May 5, 1964 F. w. JOHNSON 3,131,474

ORTHODONTIC APPLIANCE Filed Sept. 5, 1961 IN VEN TOR. EPA/w Jm/m/z/ Arum/5K".

United States Patent 3,131,474 QRTHODONTIC APPLIANCE Frank W. Johnson, Monrovia, Califl, assignor to Unitelr Corporation, Monrovia, Calih, a corporation of alifornia Filed Sept. 5, 1961, Ser. No. 136,037 7 Claims. (Q1. 32-14) This invention relates to an orthodontic bracket of the type adapted to be attached to a tooth band for retaining an arch wire. The bracket of this invention is useful in conjunction with the conventional edgewise technique of orthodontia, the Begg light wire technique, and other current and conventional techniques.

The conventional edgewise technique of applying a mo tive force to a tooth is characterized by the use of a bracket having a rectangularly sectioned arch wire receiving slot, (force in this instance being applied to the tooth by application of an angular torque to a mating rectangularly sectioned arch Wire.

A somewhat different technique of current importance has become referred to as the Begg light wire technique. This technique is described in considerable detail in the American Journal of Orthodontics vol. 42, No. 7, July 1956, page 48, in an article entitled Differential Force in Orthodontic Treatment by Dr. P. R. Begg. Briefly, this technique utilizes a light round sectioned arch wire with the application of energy to the wire being through a spring storage means, all as described in the above reference article.

Both of .these techniques have their advantages under diifering circumstances and it is quite conventional that both techniques will be used at different times on the same patient. Accordingly, a bracket which permits flexibility of use is a very great advantage to the orthodontist. I have developed an orthodontic bracket which is ideally suited for use in the Begg light wire technique and also for use in the more conventional edgewise technique. My orthodontic bracket also permits ligation, as by lacing with fine steel wire, to teeth that are initially excessively out of line such that use of an arch wire is not originally possible on all teeth.

The orthodontic bracket of this invention provides a means for connecting a tooth band to an arch wire without the use of tie wires or loose separable looks or caps. The bracket is entirely self-contained and results in faster changing of arch wires than has hitherto been possible. Since the components of the bracket are selfcontained by virtue of being factory assembled, there is no possibility that parts, necessarily being so small, can be dropped or lost. The unitary nature of the bracket also provides ease of use while maintaining the bulk required for orthodontic brackets.

Generally speaking, this invention provides an orthodontic appliance for attachment to a tooth band for transmit-ting an applied force from an arch wire to the tooth band. The bracket comprises a body having a base surface attachable to the tooth band and also includes a labial surface opposite the base surface. The body includes a cavity longitudinally and internally thereof. The body further has a notch formed transversely of the labial surface; the notch extends into the cavity. The transverse notch is adapted to receive the arch Wire for applying force to the tooth band. A lock member is frictionally and slidably engaged within the cavity of the body and has a projection extending from the cavity to adjacent the notch. The projection is clear of the notch when the lock member is engaged at one end of the cavity and retains the arch wire the notch when the lock member is positioned at the other end of the cavity.

As will be understood by anyone familiar with orthodontia, the bracket body preferably includes projecting 3,131,474 Patented May 5, 1964 flanges at its base with the direction of projection in this instance being parallel to the arch Wire receiving notch. Although the body may be soldered directly to the tooth band, the provision of such projections permits the rela tively simpler technique of spot Welding to the teeth band.

The invention will be readily understood from the following description thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying duawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of the bracket illustrating l2. rectangular-sectioned arch wire engaged to the bracket for use with the conventional edgeWise technique;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the bracket taken along line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an end elevation of the bracket as seen from the right side of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the lock member engageable Within the body of the bracket.

Referring to FIGURE 1, the self-locking bracket '10 of this invention is illustrated mounted to a tooth band 11. The bracket 10 comprises a body or sleeve member 12 and a lock or slide member 13 cooperating to secure an arch wire 14- relative to the tooth band 11. The body member 12 is formed into a substantially tubular sheath or sleeve for the looking or latch member 13 and has a base surface 16 and a labial or upper surface 17 opposite from the base surface 16. The base surface 116 is provided in two pootions on outwardly flanged, oppositely disposed lugs or flanges 18 extending from the side walls 19 of the sheath 12. The lugs 18 facilitate securing the bracket 10- to the tooth band by spot welding. However, it is also within the scope of this invention that the lugs 18 may be omitted and the sheath 12 be secured to the tooth band directly by soldering. In FIGURE 1, the lugs 18 are illustrated as being curved transversely of their extent to facilitate accommodation to the curvature of a tooth. However the lugs may be planar, as illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3, as Well as curved longitudinally of their extent from the side walls 19 of the sheath 12 A rectangular groove or notch 21 is provided transversely of the body 12 and is open to the upper or labial surface 17 of the body 12. The groove 21 serves to receive the arch wire 14 engageable the bracket 12. A cavity or hollow portion 22 is provided between the groove '21 and one end, the left end 23, of the body 12 and is formed substantially as a reotangulamly cross-sectioned cylinder by bending over tabs 24 which initially extend downwardly from the sides 19 adjacent the lugs 18 (refer to the dotted lines of FIGURES 2 and 3). An offset or stepped portion 27 is provided in the labial surface 17 adjacent the groove 21 to provide a shoulder 23 disposed toward the groove 21.

A depression 30 is provided in the labial surface 17 longitudinally of the sheath 12 between the notch 21 and the end 25-. The longitudinal depression or convolution 39 is provided to accommodate an orthodontic tool used to open and close the bracket 10' during placement and removal of the arch wire 14 relative to the bracket 10.

The occluso-gingival opening of bracket 10 provided by the cavity 22 being extended from end 23 to end 25 of the body 12, as an adjunctive property of the tubular nature of the sheath, results in the bracket 10 being useful for ligation. In this process a tooth that is out of the arch of the mouth such an excessive amount that the arch wire '14 is not engagea-bile in the bracket at the initiation of an orthodontic treatment is laced to adjacent teeth. Fine steel Wire is passed through the bracket 10 and is laced to the brackets on adjacent teeth in order to bring the subject tooth into closer alignment with the adjacent teeth so that the arch Wire 14 may then be engaged within the groove 21 of the bracket 10 on the subject tooth.

The latch or lock member 13 of the bracket is illustrated in perspective in FIGURE 4. The latch 13 is formed as a substantially U-shaped member having downwardly depending legs or side portions 35 extending from an upper transverse portion 36. The space between the oppositely disposed legs 35 provides an opening through the bracket 10 for use during the ligation procedure described immediately above. A projection or extension 37 is formed integrally with one end of the base 36 of the inverted U and has its upper surface coplanar with the upper surface 38 of the latch. An upstanding flange or tab 39 is formed at the free end of the projection 37 and terminates in a horizontal end surface 49. The latch 13 is inserted into the cavity 22 at the right end 23 of the sheath 12 prior to the bending over the cavity closing tabs 24. The upper surface 38 of the latch is then disposed adjacent the labial surface 17 of the sheath. The latch 13 is disposed within the sheath 12 with the extension or projection 37 being adjacent to the cavity 21.

The latch 13 is slidable relative to the sheath 12 since the left end 23 of the sheath 12 is open. The tab 39 is engageable with the sheath 12 at the end of the depression and also with the shoulder 28, depending upon the position of the latch 13 relative to the sheath 12, and is thereby retained in the sheath 12. It is also Within the scope of this invention, however, that the cavity 22 be closed at its end remote from the groove 21. In such a case, then, the longitudinal extent of the downwardly depending legs of the latch 13 must be shorter than the distance from the end of the cavity to the groove 21 at least a distance equal to the Width of the groove 21.

Frictional contact between the upper surface 38 of the latch 13 and the upper extent of the cavity 22 adjacent the labial surface 17 can be provided during the crimping or bending over of the cavity closing lugs 24. Further frictional engagement of the latch 13 with the sheath 12 is provided by bowing the legs 35 of the latch 13 oppositely from one another a slight amount such that the legs 35 maintain frictional contact with the interior sides of the sheath walls 19. The frictional engagement between the latch 13 and the sheath 12 and the positive mechanical stopping of the tab 39 adjacent the depression 30 and the shoulder 28 assures that the two components of the bracket 10 remain engaged at all times. Thus there is no chance that the extremely small parts of this bracket can fall into a patients mouth or otherwise become lost.

As illustrated particularly in FIGURE 2, the terminal surface of the latch tab 39 is either coplanar with or disposed below the labial surface 17. This assures a smooth appearance and presentation to the lips of the wearer. Also, since there are no projections above the labial surface, the bracket 10 is rendered substantially tamper-pro of by the wearer.

The operation of the latch is facilitated through the use of the depression 30 and an auxiliary orthodontic tool. The tool is placed within the depression 30 and is used to push the latch to open the groove 21 so that an arch wire 14 can then be inserted into the groove. When the latch 13 is so positioned it projects from the end 23 of the sheath 12. After the arch wire 14 is inserted into the groove 21, this end of the latch 13 projecting beyond the sheath end 23 is then pushed by a proper tool to force the extension 37 over the arch wire 14 to secure it Within the groove 21. The frictional engagement between the latch 13 and the sheath 12 maintains the latch in position. During the closure of groove 21 by movement of the latch, the curved end of the projection 37 adjacent the tab 39 rides over the arch wire to assure that the arch wire is securely positioned within the groove.

FIGURES 1 and 2 illustrate that the arch wire 14 is reotangularly cross-sectioned as is the case in the edgewise technique of orthodontia. The bracket 10 of this invention, however, is also compatible for use with the Begg light wire technique wherein a round arch wire is utilized.

It is often the case, moreover, in certain applications of the Begg technique that the arch wire have parallel tandem lengths; this type of arch wire is also acceptable into the groove 21. By altering the dimensions of the wire notch, the bracket 10 of this invention can be provided for use with presently existing arch wire cross-sections and the same basic design of the bracket 10 is useful with both the edgewise and Begg techniques.

In the foregoing description the notch 21 is considered as rectangular; this is the case in a preferred embodiment of the invention. It is within the scope of this invention, however, that the groove 21 may be of rounded section or of any other section suitable. The arch wire 14 need not be rectangular mating with a rectangular groove 21, but may instead be round or oval. It is also contemplated by this invention that a pair of arch wires may be secured by the bracket 10 as in the Johnson Twin-Wire method. The Begg technique also, on occasion, requires a doubled arch wire which is compatible with this invention.

While the invention is described above in conjunction with specific forms and embodiments, this has been by way of example only and is not to be considered as a limitation to the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. An orthodontic arch wire bracket adapted for connection to a tooth band to retain an arch wire comprising a body member having a base surface for attachment to the tooth band, an opposite labial surface with a rectangularly sectioned groove extending thereacross from side to side of the body, the labial surface being depressed longitudinally of the body from the groove to one end of the body, the interior of the body between the groove and the other end of the body having a hollow portion in communication with the groove adjacent the labial surface, a lock member frictionally engaged within the hollow portion and slidable longitudinally of the body, a projection of the lock member extending to a free end adjacent the groove adapted for retaining an arch wire positioned in the groove when the lock member is positioned at one end of the hollow portion and permitting insertion of the arch wire into the groove when the lock member is positioned at the other end of the hollow portion, the free end of the projection including a flange extending toward the labial surface to be exposed to the labial surface depression.

2. An orthodontic arch wire bracket adapted for connection to a tooth band to retain an arch wire comprising a longitudinally hollow sleeve having a base surface for attachment to the tooth band and an opposite labial surface through which a rectangularly sectioned groove extends from side of side of the sleeve, the labial surface being depressed longitudinally of the sleeve from one side of the groove to one end of the sleeve, an offset portion in the labial surface between the groove and the other end of the sleeve providing a shoulder exposed toward the groove, a latch member frictionally engaged within the sleeve between the groove and the said other end of the sleeve and having an integral extension portion terminating in a tab extending toward the labial surface, the projection and the tab being disposed adjacent the groove, wherein the latch is slidable within the sleeve whereby an arch wire is engageable in the transverse groove when the tab is engaged with the shoulder and whereby the arch wire is retained within the groove when the tab is positioned adjacent the labial surface depression.

3. A bracket according to claim 2 including a pair of oppositely disposed integral lugs transversely of the sleeve providing the base surface.

4. A bracket according to claim 3 wherein the flanges are curved to comply with the configuration of the tooth band.

5. An orthodontic arch wire bracket adapted for connection to a tooth band to retain at least one arch wire comprising a longitudinally hollow sleeve having a base surface for attachment to a tooth band and an opposite labial surface through which a rectangularly sectioned groove extends from side to side of the sleeve, the labial surface being depressed longitudinally of the sleeve from one side of the groove to one end of the sleeve, an offset portion in the labial surface between the other side of the groove and the other end of the sleeve providing a shoulder exposed toward the groove, a latch member having a pair of parallelly oriented sprung legs frictionally engaged within the sleeve between the groove and said other end of the sleeve and having an integral extension portion terminating in a tab extending toward the labial surface, the projection and the tab being exposed adjacent the groove, wherein the latch is slidable within the sleeve whereby at least one arch wire is engageable in the transverse groove when the tab is engaged with the shoulder and whereby the arch wire is retained within the groove when the tab is positioned adjacent the labial surface depression, and a pair of oppositely disposed integral lugs transversely of the sleeve curved to comply with the configuration of the tooth band providing the base surface, wherein the lugs space the sleeve from the band for ligation of the bracket relative to adjacent teeth.

6. An orthodontic arch wire bracket adapted for connection to a tooth band to retain an arch wire comprising a body member having a base surface for attachment to the tooth band, an opposite labial surface with a groove extending thereacross from side to side of the body, the labial surface being depressed longitudinally of the body from the groove to one end of the body, the interior of the body between the groove and the other end of the body having a hollow portion in communication with the groove adjacent the labial surface, a lock member frictionally engaged within the hollow portion and slidable longitudinally of the body, a projection of the lock member extending to a free end adjacent the groove adapted for retaining an arch wire positioned in the groove when the lock member is positioned at one end of the hollow portion and permitting insertion of the arch wire into the groove when the lock member is positioned at the other end of the portion, the free end of the projection including a flange extending toward the labial surface to be exposed to the labial surface depression.

7. An onthodontic arch wire bracket adapted for connection to a tooth band to retain an arch wire comprising a body member having a base surface for attachment to the tooth band, an opposite labial surface with a groove extending thereacross from side to side of the body, the labial surface being depressed longitudinally of the body from the groove to one end of the body, the interior of the body between the groove and the other end of the body having a hollow portion in communication with the groove adjacent the labial surface, a lock member frictionally engaged within the hollow portion and slidable longitudinally of the body, a projection of the lock member extending to a free end adjacent the groove adapted for retaining an arch wire positioned in the groove when the lock member is positioned at one end of the hollow portion and permitting insertion of the arch wire into the groove when the lock member is positioned at the other end of the hollow portion, the free end of the projection including a flange extending towards the labial surface to be exposed to the labial surface depression, and means in the body for accommodation of the flange when the lock member is positioned at the said other end of the body hollow portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,196,516 Atkinson Apr. 9, 1940 2,527,526 Brusse Oct. 31, 1950 2,671,964 Russell et al. Mar. 16, 1954 

1. AN ORTHODONTIC ARCH WIRE BRACKET ADAPTED FOR CONNECTION TO A TOOTH BAND TO RETAIN AN ARCH WIRE COMPRISING A BODY MEMBER HAVING A BASE SURFACE FOR ATTACHMENT TO THE TOOTH BAND, AN OPPOSITE LABIAL SURFACE WITH A RECTANGULARLY SECTIONED GROOVE EXTENDING THEREACROSS FROM SIDE TO SIDE OF THE BODY, THE LABIAL SURFACE BEING DEPRESSED LONGITUDINALLY OF THE BODY FROM THE GROOVE TO ONE END OF THE BODY, THE INTERIOR OF THE BODY BETWEEN THE GROOVE AND THE OTHER END OF THE BODY HAVING A HOLLOW PORTION IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE GROOVE ADJACENT THE LABIAL SURFACE, A LOCK MEMBER FRICTIONALLY ENGAGED WITHIN THE HOLLOW PORTION AND SLIDABLE LONGITUDINALLY OF THE BODY, A PROJECTION OF THE LOCK MEMBER EXTENDING TO A FREE END ADJACENT THE GROOVE ADAPTED FOR RETAINING AN ARCH WIRE POSITIONED IN THE GROOVE WHEN THE LOCK MEMBER IS POSITIONED AT ONE END OF THE HOLLOW PORTION AND PERMITTING INSERTION OF THE ARCH WIRE INTO THE GROOVE WHEN THE LOCK MEMBER IS POSITIONED AT THE OTHER END OF THE HOLLOW PORTION, THE FREE END OF THE PROJECTION INCLUDING A FLANGE EXTENDING TOWARD THE LABIAL SURFACE TO BE EXPOSED TO THE LABIAL SURFACE DEPRESSION. 